President's Day

For many, President's Day, which fell this past Monday, is nothing more than a federal holiday on which there is no mail, the banks are closed and kids have off from school. The official holiday—launched in 1879—was created to celebrate George Washington's birthday and was the first federal holiday selected to honor an American citizen. Today the holiday also honors Abraham Lincoln, whose birthday fell on February 12th (Washington's was February 22nd).

So where do Metrokane products fit in? Wine has long been a tradition in celebrations and dinners of the U.S. Presidency. One of the best known wine connoisseurs in the White House was Thomas Jefferson, who was the ambassador to France in the 1780s. His favorite wines were Burgundies from the Cote d'or, Hermitage Rhones, and Medoc Bordeauxs. For dessert he enjoyed Sauternes and Tokaji.

It took a few years before American wines began to be accepted by the White House. It was not until 1861, when Lincoln was president, that they were served at an official White House function. It was Mary Todd (aka Sally Field!) who originally put the local wines on the menu.

Lincoln, like Jefferson, had quite the connection with wine and drink - his father was a distillery hand, and he himself ran a number of taverns. Think of how much easier it would have been for them to be able to open their bottles with the Rabbit collection of wine tools!